A New Family, A New Life
by Witch08
Summary: Youngling Bumblebee is found at the Autobot Academy. When danger there is imminent, it's up to Bumblebee to save the day and gain new friends and a new family. Pre-2007 Movie.
1. Chapter 1

**flasbacks**

_thoughts_

Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers.

**A New Family, A New Life **

**By ****Witch08 **

**Chapter 1**

There was smoke and debris everywhere around me as the sounds of battle rang throughout the din. I ran, keeping to the walls and the shadows. I was scared, but I was scared even more for my fellow cadets and the visiting Autobots – who they are I do not know – here at the Academy. I was scared for my instructors and the rest of Cybertron.

Even though I was afraid, I kept running through the halls, trying to keep focus on my task. Earlier, no one believed me that I overheard some Decepticons planning to ambush the Academy. I don't know how, but my size and the skills I actually have – what skills they are I also don't know – enabled me to keep safe, out of optical sight, and to overhear what the Decepticons were saying. Now it was up to me to find the detonators and deactivate them before they went off.

**I sat huddled in a ball while sitting in my hiding spot. Again, today was not the best of my days and the older mechs once again chose me for target practice. Normally I would've just run using my speed, but as there were so many of them, it just wasn't possible for me to escape 'em. They somehow found out my secret and knew that I was a vulnerable youngling. That's why I'm here now, alone. I feel like I'm in a cage, trapped with nowhere to go. I feel lost and like I'll never be found. I already lost my parents to the Decepticons, and now I'm stuck here at the Academy with only very few mechs, my favorite instructors, knowing what I truly am: A youngling. The other cadets and instructors don't know it – even though I'm out of sight most of the time –and I want to keep it that way. As far as I can tell, no one else knows of this secret.**

**Outside the opening of the small cave I'm in, I start to hear voices talking in low tones. Getting up carefully as to not make any sound, I move toward the entrance of the cave and gradually inched my head around the edge just enough to see the mechs, but not allow them to see me. Upon closer inspection, I saw that one of them was the very mech who killed my parents while I hid safely like they told me too. Little did anyone know, though, is that I watched the whole massacre from my hiding spot. As the recognition came to me, a shock went through my body and almost made me cry out. Almost. Fortunately, though, I did not and did my best to listen to what they were saying. They had the insignia of the Decepticons on them, so whatever they were talking about had to be bad.**

**"Starscream, report."**

**"The detonators are set and ready, my liege, as are our forces. As soon as you give the order, we will make our move and take down the Academy with those foolish Autobots there."**

_**Autobots? What do they mea – Primus, I forgot that there are visiting Autobots today! I have to warn them!**_

**"Excellent. Prepare for battle in four breems."**

**Realizing with little time to spare, I ran from my hiding place – right in front of the two Decepticons – and back to the Academy.**

**"Megatron! There's a **_**spy**_** heading back to the Autobot Academy! He could ruin every–"**

**"Leave him! No matter if he knows of our plans. He won't be able to stop them anyway."**

**I ran and ran back to the Academy to warn of the coming danger. When I got there, though, the visiting Autobots were there. Taking one of my favorite instructors aside, I told him all of what I heard and relayed the images to him.**

**After processing what I told and showed him, he said, "Go hide and don't come out. This is very important. I'll warn our guests and try to get some form of resistance up."**

**"You don't mean that you actually believe that runt."**

**We both looked up and saw the headmaster of the Academy.**

**"The runt is probably lying since he is no good here, so no need to get worked up. There is no danger here and never will be. And besides," the headmaster sneered, "I expect that our visiting guests will not even have time to listen to such a blatant lie."**

**With that he stalked off and left us be. For some reason, the headmaster never liked me and I don't know why.**

**"Just leave it to me to get the message to them."**

**I looked back to see my instructor give me a look of pride and satisfaction like he knew something and I didn't before taking off and leaving me to do what he said. I watched him go over to our visitors and try to talk to them before the headmaster came over to join in.**

**Even then I had the same bad feeling about the headmaster as I had back when I was first brought here less than half a vorn ago. Just as I started to move, a blast shook the building. Through a giant hole in the wall, Decepticons started pouring in and firing at everything in sight. Soon it was all out everywhere.**

I pulled myself out of the memory as I stumbled and hurried toward my destination. No one knew I was looking for the detonators that could destroy every mech within the area. I had to pull this through.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 

"What is going on here?!" he roared, trying to be heard through the pandemonium that was caused.

"Optimus, sir, the Academy's under attack by the Decepticons!"

"Are all cadets and mechs accounted for?"

Suddenly, one of the professors came running up and said, "There's one cadet missing!"

"Which one?" asked the headmaster of the Academy.

"Bumblebee, headmaster."

"The runt? He's no loss. He's better off gone."

Ironhide bristled, Jazz looked indignant, Ratchet looked affronted, the Twins looked offended – as did some other Autobots – and Optimus exclaimed, "What do you mean 'no loss'? Every Autobot is not a loss. Ironhide, take Jazz, Ratchet, Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, Mirage, Smokescreen, and Trailbreaker. Go search for the missing cadet. The rest of you are with me. We'll regroup as soon as we drive the Decepticons back."

"Yes, sir!"

"I hope the cadet's all right," Optimus said under his breath.

---------------------------------

**"Starburst, take Bumblebee and go! The Decepticons are attacking the city!"**

**"What about you, Shockfire?!"**

**"I'm staying to help the other Auto–"**

**I heard a cold, dark laughter interrupt my parents, and send chills throughout my frame. Looking out from my hiding place I saw the shadow of a gigantic mech. His optics were blood red, filled with desire, hate, and so much more. I could feel darkness around him, some trying to grip my young spark within its hold. I resisted while at the same time trying to reach out to my parents and reach out for some help. I felt another presence coming, more than one. And none of them held the cold darkness that this one did. I was scared and I wanted nothing more than to be in my parent's arms. But my mother told me specifically to stay hidden while she went to be with my father. I was frightened for them, for us all.**

**The strange mech smiled cruelly and I felt like I could scream. I wanted to scream, but nothing would come out. All I could do was stay where I was and watch as the mech destroyed my parents.**

**I saw them fighting back, fighting valiantly, but even I knew that it was futile. And finally their sparks were extinguished. It felt like mine was broken, fading beyond repair. There was a gaping hole there that was filled by my parents, but was now empty.**

I kept running, my internal systems overheating and my cooling systems working overtime. I wanted to stop and go hide. I wanted to be back in my parents' arms where I would be safe from harm. I was kidding myself when I thought I could make a difference. How could I be such a fool? I was a youngling and a minibot. I was even smaller than normal minibot standards. I was a runt and a weak 'bot. So why did I keep going?

_Because I could save lives if I succeed._

I already deactivated twelve detonators within three breems, but I didn't know how many more I had left.

"Well, well. Who do we have here? Look, Megatron, it's the minibot spy that overheard us!" I was lifted by the scruff at the back of my neck and into the air. I resisted the urge to curl up into a ball, but I couldn't stop my optics from widening in fear.

"Not just a minibot, Starscream, but also a –"

A shot out of nowhere blasted into Starscream and Megatron, and I was dropped, wishing that I already had my second armor as the floor rushed up to me.

Apparently, my savior also noticed this and noticed what I truly was.

Catching my small body within his arms, he said, "Primus! I didn't think that the cadet would actually be a youngling!"

Stiffening in shock, I looked up at him with fearful optics, wanting nothing more than to disappear since my deepest secret was now out.

"No need to scare the poor kid, Jazz! I think he's scared enough by Megatron and Starsceam," an older mech grunted.

"I thought old Megs finished off the younglings!" a red mech exclaimed while gawking at me.

"Apparently he missed one, Sideswipe! And thank Primus for that!" an identical golden mech replied. They looked like they could be twins.

A yellow mech came up to me and said, "Agreed," while he started to scan me. "His body is overheating too much, and he's running out of energy too fast. And from what my scans are telling me, this lil' bot is not even a vorn old."

"Then what is he doing here at the Academy!?" the gruff mech yelled.

Touching the mech holding me lightly on the wrist, I sent all of what happened today to him. My instructor was the only one I ever talked to since my parents' deaths and since then, I vowed to myself that I wouldn't ever utter a word to anyone else until I found a family. _Like that will ever happen._

The mech widened his eyes and told his comrades what I had relayed to him.

"Autobots! Give me the youngling! He will make a fine pet and servant."

In fear, I look up into the face of the mech holding me, my youth as a youngling finally making itself known, know matter how much I tried to hold it back.

Sensing my fear, the gruff mech lifted me out of the arms of the flashy mech holding me and said, "Shh. They're not going to take you. We can tell you're a true Autobot and they can too. We can also tell that you don't like those 'Cons."

Instincts taking over, I nestled my head into the crook of his neck and wrapped my arms around his neck and held on tight, afraid to let go. Then I did something that I didn't do in a long time. "I don't want to go with them," I whispered.

"Then you won't go." I was shocked. The tone in which he spoke in sounded like that of a father protecting his youngling, but I wasn't his so why–

With a roar of fury, Megatron yelled, "Starscream, grab the youngling!"

"Yes, oh great leader! Now, Autobots, hand over the youngling and your deaths will be quick!"

With that, both Decepticons jumped forward and made a grab for me.

Not wanting to appear to be a coward, I refrained from screaming. Noticing my shaking, though, the gruff mech whispered into my receptors, "You're with a new family now. You're a youngling and it's okay to be one."

Unable to control it, I started to whimper.

"Ratchet! Contact Optimus and get reinforcements down here!"

"Already did. Optimus is on his way," said Ratchet, the mech – medic – who scanned me earlier.

We all dodged out of the attack's way, with me still safely within the gruff mech's arms.

Megatron let out an angry howl and attacked again.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

"Come here, youngling!"

Unable to control a burst of anger, I shouted, "My name's Bumblebee!"

"Kid's got some spunk," said the golden mech.

"Of course he does, Sunny. I would be angry too if I was in young Bumblebee's place and a strange mech kept calling me 'youngling' all the time," said the red twin.

A blast shook the hall and noticing what the others did not, I yelled, "DUCK!"

By instinct, we all did. A blast went over us and exploded on the opposite wall. Another Decepticon joined the fray.

"Soundwave, GRAB THAT YOUNGLING!" Megatron ordered, clearly furious.

"I don't think so, Megatron!"

The older mechs looked around in surprise: The Decepticons in fear and hatred, the Autobots in pure relief.

"Optimus Prime…" sneered Megatron.

"You will not take another life for your own gain."

"Why would I kill him when he could be my servant?" Megatron jumped at me and the gruff mech.

Not wanting any mech to get hurt because of me, I jumped out of my protector's arms and ran, leading Megatron and his lackeys away.

Behind us, Blackout showed up and yelled, "Megatron, the detonators are about to go off!"

Reluctantly tearing his red optics away from me, Megatron shot at the ceiling above the Autobots causing rubble to fall and trap them. "Decepticons, retreat! This is not over, Prime! That youngling will belong to me!"

Looking around, I noticed that there was a detonator here that I overlooked. Panicking, I hurried up to it and started about to deactivating it.

"Bumblebee, GO!" the gruff mech yelled.

_Too late. I'm not about to stop now when I can finish this!_

I finally deactivated the detonator closest to us, but the rest of the detonators that were not deactivated went off, shaking the building and causing the ceiling to fall down toward me.

Looking back at the Autobots, I saw that they were finally getting free of their prison before I finally went into forced stasis.

--

Not quite believing that the Academy was still standing, Optimus Prime looked back at the small, fragile youngling that he now held in his arms. The professor from earlier finally finished telling them what he had tried to tell them earlier, with Jazz backing him up. The youngling, Bumblebee, accidentally overheard Megatron himself and Starscream talking about their plans. Apparently, Bumblebee decided to do something about it. From what he could tell, Bumblebee would make the best spy and espionage agent the Autobot forces ever had…if he decided to come with them. They all agreed that, if Bumblebee wanted, they would take him in and be his family. Hopefully he would wake up soon so they could ask him. After all, he was far too young to be without a family, and far too young to be left alone for any amount of time. But what worried him was how Megatron knew that they would survive the detonators.

--

Complete darkness surrounded me. It was not only dark but also cold. Very cold. Instinctively, I curled into a ball…as small as possible. Now, more than ever, I wanted a family again. A family that would drive away the darkness and cold. A family that would keep me safe.

But I had none since that day the only family I've known was killed by the hand of the Decepticon lord: Megatron. I remembered battles going on around me, but who won, I do not know. Where was I? And would I ever be found?

Wisps of a colder darkness started wrapping around me…around my spark. I was scared. I wanted to escape, but there was nowhere to escape to! The evil darkness gripped tighter, its hold unyielding. I couldn't take this, and neither could my spark – I screamed.

"Calm down now, you're all right. Calm down."

I knew that voice. I'm sure of it. But was it friend or foe?

"Little 'un, you must calm down. Your systems are overheating too much and your energy is depleting to the point where you could go back into a locked stasis. You don't need that to happen again."

Another voice, gruff this time. Both voices didn't seem hostile. The darkness gripping me is now tightening around my spark, determined not to let go. A brighter presence flared and let itself be known to the other, making its grip become slack. Now I know that those voices I'm hearing are friends.

"Time to wake up, young one."

This voice has an air of leadership about it, it's tone gentle and soft, yet can be used to command. I can trust them. I know it. I want to go to them. I will go to them.

My optics brighten as I wake up, shadowy figures above me. Slowly, the blurry figures start to define before I can finally see clearly. Above me, I see the mechs that I met earlier.

"Good to see you awake, kiddo," said the flashy mech. "The name's Jazz."

"I'm Sideswipe. Just call me Sides. Over there is the Hatchet –" Sides stopped mid-sentence as a wrench was thrown at him.

"My name is Ratchet."

"And this is my twin brother Sunny – "

A bang resounded around the room as the golden mech hit his twin brother upside the head and the snickers that could be heard.

"I told you NOT to call me that!" said the golden mech as he turned towards me. "The name's Sunstreaker, by the way."

"Psychotic maniac," Sides mumbled under his breath. I giggled.

"I'm Ironhide."

"And I'm Optimus Prime. Bumblebee, we have an important question to ask you."

I look at him with slight fear in my optics.

"There is nothing to fear, little one. We know that your parents are dead and that your instructor brought you hear to keep you safe after finding you. Besides here, you have nowhere else to go. Is that right?"

I slowly nodded.

"Would you like to come with us and be in a new family?"


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I finally updated! Wohoo! I totally had to rewrite chapter 4. But I'm glad I did. It may be short, but I love it! I hope you do too! Enjoy!**

**Chapter 4 – What Did You Do, Jazz?**

Some orns have passed since I accepted the offer of having a new family, since I was brought here to my new home. Guardianship was immediately handed over to the gruff mech, Ironhide, but since he was on duty at the moment, I was stuck with my current caretaker…

"JAZZ!!" The angry yell vibrated in my head and travelled down the halls of the base, sending all mechs off duty scurrying for cover.

Not wanting to be on the receiving end of Ratchet's wrath, Jazz picked me up and went in the other direction.

Once a safe distance away, Jazz said, "Tha' was too close, lil' buddy. Glad we could get away befo' he caught up."

"Just what did you do, Jazz?" I asked, curious. Ever since arriving in Iacon, the only Autobots I felt comfortable with were those that I met back at the Academy. So that kinda left me being around them more often than not.

"Nothin' much. Jus' helped Sunny and Sides with a prank of theirs."

Shaking my head, I asked, "And what prank was that?"

"One tha' gave him a 'new look' while rechargin'."

I groaned, knowing that Jazz was going to be in a heap of trouble if Ratchet ever caught up to him. Though I was quite curious as to –

"What does his 'new look' look like?"

Jazz just smiled and didn't say a thing, indicating that I would have to wait to find out.

"You know 'Hide would use you for target practice if you ever did anything like that to him," I told him.

"I know," Jazz replied. "Which is why I'm not gonna do that to him." He paused for a minute, listening as his comm. link came on between him and another Autobot. "Okay, kiddo, let's go see wha' tha' boss wants."

In less than a breem later, we were standing in front of Optimus' office. Looking inside, Jazz seemed to couldn't help but gulp. Turning around slightly, I saw Prowl, Optimus, Ironhide, the Twins, and Ratchet. My optics widened when I saw Ratchet. To me, he looked like what the humans called a "DJ" or a "rock star."

Plucking me out of Jazz's arms, Ironhide and I left the office and went to our own quarters. Under his breath, I could hear Ironhide say, "If those Pit-fragging slag-heap Twins think of doin' anythin' like this tomorra', then their afts are mine!"

Silently giggling, I shifted a bit, listening to the muffled yelling coming from Optimus' office, before drifting off to recharge, waiting for the next orn to start.

**A/N: Be nice and review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Here's the next chapter. It was pretty close btw Sunny & Sides in the poll for this fic when it was first up, so I decided to combine the two. Enjoy!**

**Ch. 5 – Twins**

If anyone thought that Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were completely irresponsible when it came to sparkling sitting…they were correct. At least this time they were. Normally they're quite good, but when they were planning this prank with me in their care…let's just say that I came out with a virus and they came out with more time in the brig than usual with cleaning duty.

Cliffjumper made them mad again, and to get him even they naturally started planning a prank. Only this one caught more than Cliffy and ended up worse than when it had begun.

I already had a bug in my systems, and 'Hide explicitly told them to keep me bundled up. Well, I got hungry for some energon and mentioned it. I guess they didn't hear me 'cause they continued on with what they were doing. So I got out of the bundles of blankets and managed to get of the berth. I walked out the door and down to the rec. room. I'm surprised no one saw me.

By the time I was returning to the Twins' quarters, I turned a corner at the same time as Cliffy. After knocking into him, I landed in the trap that the Twins' set up. From there it only went down hill.

I went flying into the air and banged my helm on the ceiling, the section which supported a lot of water. The water came crashing down on me and Cliffy, who was underneath me. At least he had a better system that was less likely to get a virus.

The commotion caught the attention of other Autobots and that's what led up to now, although I would love to get out of these hot blankets and 'Hide's arms for just a few minutes.


End file.
